About The Artist

 

Hi and Welcome to my Shop! My name is Sandra and I’m a self-taught artist. I create artwork of all kinds including photography.

What inspires me is the love of wonder, love of nature, and love of architecture. “Joy through Wonder, Joy through Art, Joy through Living...” I hope that my artwork brings you happiness and that you enjoy my style and my little creations. 

Olvera Art Shop is my shop of my own photos from travels in the mid-Atlantic area which include hiking trails, cemeteries, gardens, arboretums, and really anything that catches my attention. I love photographing wildlife, abandoned places, graffiti, art, sculptures, landscapes, nature, cemeteries, and people.

I started painting ceramic sugar skulls when my best friend passed away in 2012. A few months after her passing, I found it very hard to accept that she was no longer with us, finding myself thinking of calling her as I hadn't spoken to her in a while only to be painfully reminded of the truth. So I decided to paint a sugar skull and create an ofrenda (an alter/offering of sorts) at home with a sugar skull I painted in her honor. I placed her favorite mickey mouse watch that her daughter gave me, a watch she wore every day. I placed flowers and pictures of us together in my ofrenda and it really started to help me cope with her passing. Now every time I see her ofrenda, I am reminded of happy memories of her and it brings a smile. As time has passed I've painted a few skulls of my cats and other friends passing away, building my ofrenda, but I found that it has helped me tremendously to accept someone's passing but to keep their memory alive in my heart. And as the years have gone by, I've custom painted a few ceramic sugar skulls for friends who also said it helped them in a time of sadness and a beautiful way to keep someone's memory alive and well in our hearts.

I hope that my artwork brings you happiness and that you enjoy my style and my little creations.

Saludos!